Indicator or prompter for household or other purposes



Sept. 11, 1928. 1,684,346

J. DE BRACHT mmcnon o3 PROMPTER FOR nousanow on OTHER PURPOSES FiledJan- 10, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v a 5 1 H I IH INVENTOR QZ' Dear- 012 j WATTORNEY Sept. 11, 192:;

J. DE BRACHT INDICATOR OR PROMPTER FOR HOUSEHOLD OR OTHER PURPOSES FiledJan. 10, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR cI-Dcfira chi ATTORNEY PatentedSept. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE.

JOSEPH DE BRACHT, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO PAULEPRIGHT, 0F ALTOON A, PENNSYLVANIA.

INDICATOR OR PROMPTER FOR HOUSEHOLD OR OTHER PURPOSES.

Application filed January 10, 1928.

This invention relates to a device to be used as a reminder or prompterto indicate household articles to be purchased, dates to be kept,persons to be interviewed, or other indicia, to which attention isdesired to be called.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter, ,which will disclose at a glance the matter to be called toattention, and which is so marked and displayed, that it will stand outprominently and attract the attention of the party for .whom it isintended.

Another object is to so construct a device of this character which, whenthe matter to which attention is called has been taken care of, may havethe attention attracting indicia replaced in the negative columnout ofprominence and where it normally remains.

This invention, also, while primarily intended for the purposes aboveset forth, may be used for advertising purposes in stores, restaurants,and the like, it is so constructed that the indicia to be displayed maybe readily chan ed at will. v

In carrying out t ese objects, the invention is suspectible ofmodification without departin from the spirit or sacrificing any of thea vantages of the claimed invention; there being shown in the drawingsfor illustrative purposes a preferred and practical form, in which,

Figure 1 represents a front elevation with parts broken out, of a deviceconstructed in accordance with this invention, 1

Fig. 2 is a detail transverse section thereof showing the mounting ofone of the slides used in connection with the indicator,

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3+3 of Fig. 1, it bein atransverse section at the point indicate Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinalsection taken on the line-H of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a transverse section, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation showing a slightly different form of theinvention,

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 6-6 of F ig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a, transverse section taken on the line. 77 of Fig. 5, and

Serial No. 245,768.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the slides used in theform illustrated in Fig. 5

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, the indicatorconstituting this invention comprises a base plate 1 which may beconstructed of any suitable material, and of any desired size, and whichis shown provided with a frame or reinforced side members 2 which arepreferably made removable, for a purpose presently to be described,

This base plate 1 is shown provided at its upper end with apertures 3 toprovide for its suspension from a suitable support, and adjacent saidapertures is arranged a blank space or plate 4 to contain instructions,advertising matter, or other indicia.

At the lower end of the base plate 1 is shown mounted a scratch pad 5for use in writin down articles 'needed, which are not in icated on theslides of the reminder. This pad 5 is, shown mounted in guides 6extending longitudinally of 'the base plate and spaced transversely fromeach other, as shown clearly in F igs. 1 and 3, while arranged below theplane of these guides is a rest 7 to support the lower edge of the pad 5and from the front edge of which extends concavo-convex rests 8 toreceive and support a pencil, indicated in dotted lines at P.

The base plate 1 is provided with a plurality of transversely extendingguides 10 arranged to alternate with each other, as shown clearly inFig. 1, one of said guides extending from one side, edge of the baseplate to a point beyond the mid-center thereof in one direction, whilethe adjacent guide extends from the other side edge in the oppositedirection to a point beyond the mid-center of the plate. These guides 10are provided byslitting the base plate 1 transversely, the slits 11being spaced longitudinally apart on the base plate a sufficientdistance to receive suitable indicia carrying slides 15, which areconstructed as will be presently more fully described. The edges of theslit portions of the plate 1 are bent outward at an 'oblique angle asshown at 12 and provide guides for the flanges 16 arrangedlongitudinally along The central field 21* has arranged above it on thebase plate 1 suitable indicia to call attention to the slides containedin thisfield, and preferably the word We need are placed conspicuouslyabove this field. It will then be obvious that when the slides bearingthe names' of=articles needed are moved into the spaces inthe' field 21,that attention will-be immediately attracted to-them by glancing-atthe-indicatorand show just what articles are desired to be purchased, itthe device is "used a'sa household reminder, or obviously-the slides maycontain thereon dates, or names of persons, or anything to'whichattention is to 'be at traoted. p

The slides 15 are'each provided with an indiciacarrying body portion17*having the flanges 16 extending longitudinally along sthe side edgesthereof-and adaptedto slidably' engage under the flanges-12 of the baseplate, as shown in Fig. 2 While"from one end of the slide-extends:upw'ardly a 'lug 18 to form a finger-grip for manipulating-the slidesto movethemback and forth; 'A stop 18- for limiting the movement or theslides inwardly oft-he plate-1 is' =frI'n'edLat the inner- "endof eachslot so that whenthe slide reaches theinner end of its guide itwill bestopped from sliding beyondsaid fguide. It 'will thus be'seenthat'whenany household article gives out and attention offthe householder isdesired to be" called 1' thereto, the attendant, or anyone else, movestheslide at'ioneside of'theplate 1' into the central position forinstance, should "matches i be needed, the slide bearin the word Matchesis moved, as shown inf iFig'. 1 1 and arranged directly within thefield: 21 below the phrase We need, {so' that ai 'glance at theindicator will show exactly the articles which are -'to "be-supplied,This arrangement of the slidesjat opposite sides of the board so" thatwhenmoved inwardly to thezcentral fieldtthey- Will'alternate, providesfor a balanced 'boardcapable of -.carrying a maximum number of-slides.It'is, of course, understood'that the'board maybe finished inany-desired manner to render it attractive, or'sanitary, I y

In the form-shown in Figs. .55 to 8,wthe arrangement in principlis thesame, the onlydifi'erence being that theibase plate '1 is composed ofmetal, preferably -enamelled,

:pose. r

and the slots 10 insteadof having the deflected flanges alon the edgesthereof, as shown in the other figures, have their edges in the sameplane as the body portion of the plate, as is shown clearly in Fig. 6,and these slots are made of sufficient size to receive guide lugs orfingers 16*} carried by the slides The slides 15 are all constructedexactly alike, and hence one only will be described in detail. Each ofthese slides comprises a plate orbody portion 23 having at theiropposite ends down-turned lugs 24 and 25, said lugs being notched attheir opposite side edges, as shown at 26. These notches 26 are designedto receive the side walls of the slots 10 when the slides-areoperat-ively placed on the base board 1. -'A finger grip 27 extendslaterally outward from one end of the slide and is designed-tofacilitate" the manipulation of the slides in the same manner as thatdescribed-in relation to the other figures.

The binding strips or frame members 2 are removable to permittheslides'lfi to be inserted or removed when desired, and otherssubstituted, thereby adapting the indicator to be used for advertisingand similar purposes. i

From the above, it will'be readily seen that the gist of theinventionresides in'providing a device of this character by means of which theattention attracting slide may be seenat a glance, and while the twoforms herein illustrated "and described accomplish theobje'ct, it is tobe understood thatvarious constructions may be'empl'oyed for this pur-VVithout further description it is thought that-the features andadvantages ofthe invention will'be readily apparent to those skilled in theart, and it-will'of course be understood that ohanges' in. theform,'proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to,-witl i(") 'ut" departing from the spirit and scope ofthe claimedinvention. I claim? 1-. Adevice of the class described-comprising a basehaving a plurality of guides,'said guides extending alternately 'in'opposite directions and having a portion thereof arranged-parallel andonea'bovethe other, indicia'carryi-ng slides mounted to travel n saidguides, and-means for manipulating said slides. i a

- 2. A device of the'class describedfcomprising a base plate having acentral and two side fields; guides mounted in said side fields withtheir inner endsover'lapping in the center field, said overlapping innerends being arranged one above the other with those extending into oneside field alternating with those extendinginto the other, andindieiaicarrying slides mounted to travel in said guides and be disposed'within said center field whereby the slides may be conspicuouslydisplayed to adapt their indicia to be seen at a glance.

3. A device of the class described comprising a base plate having aplurality of longitudinally extending parallel fields, slots extendingtransversely of said fields, the inner ends of the slots of one sidefield overlying the inner ends of those of the other side field, andpositioned in the center field, 10 and indicia carrying slides adaptedto travel in said slots and equipped With means for manipulating themand for stopping them in adjusted position.

Signed at Altoona, in the county of Blair 15 and State of Penna. thisfourth day of January, A. D. 1928.

JOSEPH DE BRACHT.

